HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/4/2026 Item 4a, Ferguson
Tyler Ferguson <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Emerson Park Project
Advisory Board / To Whom It May Concern,
I’m writing to share feedback on the Emerson Park project you are working on finalizing.
First off, I want to say I’m excited that investments are being made to improve Emerson Park. I live in the
neighborhood and I’m also a dog owner. Upgrading the playground, restrooms, hydration stations,
blacktop/basketball court, and the garden/education areas are changes that will benefit everyone who
uses the park.
With that said, I recommend removing the proposed 0.5-acre fenced dog park from the project.
My main concern is that a fenced dog park would take away from one of the most valuable parts of
Emerson Park: the large, open grass field in the middle of downtown. In just the past week, I’ve seen kids
practicing flag football, youth soccer teams training, a family playing baseball by the backstop, a group of
men playing ultimate frisbee, and lots of people simply enjoying the nice weather—relaxing on the grass,
reading, and spending time together.
This field is used constantly, and while some of these activities could still happen with a dog park, it
wouldn’t be in the same capacity. Right now, because the field is so large, multiple things can be
happening at once and it never feels cramped. It’s inclusive in the best way: a team can practice in one
area, a family can play in another, and others can lay out and read a book—without everyone being on
top of each other. If the grass area gets cut in half, the park loses that flexibility and inclusivity because
there simply won’t be enough uninterrupted space. One organized group using the field will make it feel
like there’s no room for anything else.
I also want to note that there is already a new, large (3-acre) dog park at Laguna Lake, about a 6-minute
drive from Emerson Park. Adding a smaller dog park at Emerson seems redundant and unnecessary—
especially if it comes at the expense of one of the few centrally-located multi-use grass fields downtown.
Thank you for considering my input, and for the work going into improving Emerson Park.
Best,
Tyler Ferguson
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